How to avoid overwhelm this season

What are you looking forward to this month?

If you're like me, when you picture the holidays and the end of the year, you picture a cozy, sparkling scene: you're in your pajamas on the couch, reading into the late morning. You don't have anywhere to be but where you want to be. Your work is done. There's a crackling fire in the fireplace, and a hot cup of coffee in your hand. Later, there will be champagne, dinner with family, and movies and snuggling on the couch. Loved ones surround you, music fills the air, and life is distilled to it's best essence.

You're relaxed. You're content. You're overflowing with gratitude and joy.

End scene.

Now, welcome to reality: it's the beginning of December, and I'm already feeling behind. This is not unusual for me at this time of year: Thanksgiving always seems to end and then - BOOM! - it's December all of the sudden, and I'm not ready. It's like my to-do list suddenly exploded with holiday preparation, end-of-year and end-of-semester projects, while I simultaneously feel like I should be getting a jump on what's coming next in 2021. As Christmas and New Year's get closer, the feeling intensifies.

Do you feel extra stress around the holidays and the end of the year?

It's so normal.

We start with a vision of the result we want: the cozy scene around the fire, the family around the table, feelings of total fulfillment at another year, task, or journey completed.

Then, our energy flags as we realize how many steps there are to take between now and then.

Where's the fast-forward button? Where's a video montage of the transformation of days and months of hard training in two minutes of highlights?

The fast-forward button only exists in the movies. We can't skip the work, the steps, and the effort it takes to get there.

What we can do is reframe our perspective and choose to see each small, challenging step as part of the final result.

If you want to feel totally present and able to enjoy the final product, you have to start by being totally present in this moment and enjoying the step you're on now.

My next step looks like getting Christmas decorations out of the attic (and vacuuming up the rat poop that's up there - glamorous, I know). There's lots of work to do in the house, in my business, in preparations after that. But I'm going to enjoy it, knowing that awkwardly hauling a shop vac up a ladder in the cold garage is part of me enjoying a winter wonderland in peace later this month.

Whether it's getting ready for the holidays, becoming fluent in another language, or making a big lifestyle change, how can you see the very first step in front of you as part of your final celebration?

Welcome to December, mis amigos. Let's enjoy it - all of it - from day one.

Your life & language coach,

Does this idea resonate with you right now? Take a deep dive into this conversation with me while you practice your bilingual skills in my latest episode of #SpanishSaturday.

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